BASF started its pilot program in 2009 and officially rolled out the platform in May 2010. Krooss says the pilot introduced content that made the platform more useful when it officially launched and helped illustrate how the software could be used.

Less than a year after the launch, the company is pleased with the early results. Krooss says there are more than 19,000 registered users—more than 21 percent of the potential users in the company. Of these, 45 percent have joined a community.

BASF has found that users of connect.BASF are distributed fairly evenly among its regions, which also suggests that the software is helping accomplish the goal of fostering cross-cultural collaboration. In a user survey it conducted, the company found that 82 percent of people who had tried the software said they understood its purpose. Of those who used it a couple of times a week, 70 percent said they thought it was useful for work. Of those who used it daily, 90 percent said the same.

Krooss says there are other early signs that the software is effective. In particular, she’s pleased that so many employees are using it when doing so is entirely voluntary. Many teams have approached her office asking for training so they can use connect.BASF more effectively, which she takes as a sign that they see the software as valuable. So far, she says, Connections has given BASF a social foundation that the company can build on and develop.